Here’s the thing about resolutions. I break them. I mean, not in the “oh screw it, it’s been 4 days, gimme chocolate” kind of way, but more of a “oh, right. I fully intended to create time in my schedule do to things just for me and kept pushing that further and further back” so here we are in early February and I’ve stuck to…well, none of my resolutions. Instead of being all upset with myself, because HEY! GUESS WHAT? I’m human! I’ve decided I’m going to just work towards the goals.

I’m also going to share my goals with you. Maybe if I do that I’ll feel accountable. So my goals, so that I can “Build a Better Year” for myself and my family in 2013:

Do more as a family- travel, play, hike, explore, movies, whatever. But all 5 of us. (Notice I’m not specifying frequency)

Move. (I am not talking about moving my home. I’m talking about my body. I’m not going to entertain the idea of 6 days a week at the gym. Although laughing at the suggestion would last as long as a workout, I’m sure, and probably burn some calories in the meantime!?)

Run a 5k. Twice. Please note, when I say “run” I mean on my terms…which for most of the human race would be more of a “perky walk” but it’s motion and it’s how I roll (or how my rolls move?) and it gets me towards that healthier goal. I’m signed up for the Color Me Rad race April 27th in Hartford (My team name: Perky Walkers”) and if you are local, come join me! I can’t promise speed but I can almost guarantee you’ll have a blast. My second race (or maybe more, but let’s not be hasty. I like attainable goals) will be in November, for Jamie’s Run.

Be healthier. There’s never going to be a time in my life I don’t want chocolate. I’m accepting it. I’m embracing it. But I want to choose a healthier option sometimes. So that’s my goal. Being healthier is kind of a generalized goal so lots can fall under this goal. More chances to be successful, you know?

Do more crafty stuff. I love crafty stuff, and I need to do more. With and without the kids. It’s a great outlet.

In an effort to help moms make 2013 their best year yet, Visa Prepaid has created the Build Your Best Yearinstant win game. Build Your Best Year wants to help US keep our resolutions- simply by setting goals on Visa Prepaid’s Facebook page on the Build Your Best Year tab, you can be entered for a chance to win headphones and Visa Gift Cards, plus each time you play counts as an entry into the grand prize of a Tablet PC with kickstand and keyboard. There are prizes to be won daily- 35 gift cards and 1 set of headphones every day from now until 11:59pm PST on 3/5/13. Sharing with the simple Facebook share button or tweet button means that if your friends sign up from your link, you get more entries toward the Tablet PC with kickstand and keyboard. I hope someone I know wins some prizes!!

I’ve kind of slacked on my goals 🙁 although, I wanted to finally start my blog and I’m in the right direction now! I also wanted to read at least 5 books a month and well I haven’t even read through half of one (sad, I know)

I made the list in my phone, so I need to keep up with it and look at it from time to time to remind myself.

I don’t make firm resolutions, but I do a type of goal setting not on New Year’s Eve but on my birthday. They say your birthday is the start of your personal New Year so you should goal set then, and I really liked that when I heard it and still do it that way! My birthday is in April so I will re-visit my goals then.

I really didn’t set any resolutions for myself….I set resolutions for me to help my husband with and that’s for him to quit smoking and to just be more healthy…they were both in the back of my mind at the beginning of the year but both have become major desires as of recent as he’s been in the hospital since 21 January for several cardiac issues and so I feel it’s more important than ever and when we finally get home, which will hopefully be real soon, I plan to put everything in to helping him realize these goals….especially quitting smoking as his lungs are already suffering (so much fluid was removed during one surgery, we were told the bottom of his lungs were collapsing) so Its fairly essential that he not pick them back up when we get out of here!

We have decided to get up & get healthy unplugged as much as possible, walks bike riding, playground, when weather is ok. On days we where the weather is not good we play Xbox & Wii. We not only need to be physically healthy, but spending family time is just as important to our health.

I don’t really like to make resolutions for New Years. I just know that there are things that I want to accomplish or do to improve myself. I don’t necessarily make them on New Years, I make them when they enter my life. As far as “breaking” them, I don’t want to think any goal I set for myself has been broken. Just that I haven’t yet reached it, which is not a bad thing unless I give up trying.

I made a resolution to be kinder, gentler and more patient with others. I found myself so angry at people’s meanness and insensitivity that I forgot my number one mantra: Everyone has a story. I am trying a new one: It is what it is.

I’m doing better but I am not perfect and hey, maybe that should be another mantra!

My only resolution was to continue to eat healthier and buy more all natural and organic foods. The buying more all natural and organic is going well surprisingly…it’s the eating healthier that I keep stumbling on! Way too much fast food! Lent starts Wednesday and fast food is what I am giving up so it should be easier to eat healthy! LOL

I didn’t make any resolutions this year. I did start a new budget system, because the old one wasn’t working. I had been using computer programs to keep track of spending, but I didn’t know how to break down purchases into different categories. This wasn’t helping me to be accountable for everything we buy. I’ve gone back (old school) to a notebook and using a pencil to record every purchase. When the money’s gone, I’ll know why 🙂

my goals were to lose 10 lbs and get back in shape. which i have not startd yet. i also had goals to finish my mother’s trust, sell my 3 properties, which i now have realtors on all of them, and go thru things to take to auction, which i am now doing.

I have. My goal was not to waste food. We have. More than I care to admit. I grew up in a big family and make WAaaay too much food for meals. Then we use for leftovers so I don’t have to cook a big meal every single night. And we forget about food til its too old to eat. Pathetic when we know we are wasting money we don’t HAVE to waste! Plus makes me feel bad. Also, my second goal was to get our house organized and finish projects. still not feeling well enough to do most yet but I WILL get to it!

Good luck to you girl…you can do this! I agree, you need to actually NAME the goal instead of just doing a general one. Like for me, get those bathroom walls done I peeled wallpaper from in early NOVEMBER and now sits. A plan. A plan. A plan.. my new mantra

I made resolutions to drink more water and eat more servings of fruits and veggies everyday – there were a few days where I didn’t get them in, but for the most part I’ve actually stuck to it so far, so hopefully it continues!

I didn’t really make any resolutions this year… I do have a few “goals” for the year though. Things like get better organized in a lot of aspects – around the house, our activities, meal planning, etc. Spend more time with my mom, its so easy to let things become too busy that we miss out on time with those we love, after my dads unexpected passing – I don’t want to miss moments with those i love… and I know my mom would LOVE to see the kids more, so I’ve made an effort to invite her along for even little things or just stopping by to visit her, even if we only have 30 minutes.

So far so good here… I do need to spend a bit more time organizing a few rooms in the house though.

My only real goal was to keep up with my running. I started last summer unable to run a mile without stopping to rest. In November I was able to run 10.5 miles without a single walk break. I need to stick with it.

My Resolutions is to exercise 30 minutes a day by walking my dog, so far I have been doing this. Also to eat healthier by adding vegetables at dinner, and to stay away from snack foods. I have been doing good so far!

You are doing great! I think each person has to set resolutions on their own terms. My NY resolutions is to be happy! I also need to lose weight (nothing big) and get better sugar levels (I am diabetic type 1). Each day may mean something different, cut sugar from my coffee, no dessert, eat more fruit. etc.

I have made a resolution to become more organized now that we just had our second baby. I planned on making more schedules and meal plans… but wanting to sleep has taken precedence thus far! Once little one starts sleeping more thru the night I can start my planning.

The only resolution I have ever been able to keep was one I made a few years ago to not make anymore resolutions! However, i have been “cleaning up’ our diet over the past several years with some success. This year I am going to work on reducing the amount of sugar we eat/drink.

One, I want to say GOOD FOR YOU!!! I hate “resolutions” because to me they are like do or die kind of things. If I don’t make them I don’t fail and since failure is such a self esteem buster for me I would rather not set myself up for something I won’t accomplish. I rather like saying, I’ve made some goals. I liken that to weight loss. I used to weigh 430 lbs. but now I weigh 165. It didn’t happen in a year or even in two or three. I started losing weight in 1999 and now FOURTEEN years later I weigh 165-175 on any given day. There have been ups and downs, good days and bad days, but it’s been a HUGE accomplishment (btw, my lowest was 155, but it is too hard for me to maintain that especially with all my lose and excess skin that the insurance companywon’t pay to have removed because they consider it “cosmetic”….don’t get me started). I could write a book, but that’s not a goal or even something I want to do. I don’t mind talking about it though. It’s been a journey.

Anyway, like I was saying, good for you. I think your goals are reasonable and wonderful. Even I cannot ‘run’ a 5K though I could walk it.Finding more time and spending more time crafting. LOVE that one. And just to be healthier. That’s a great one. I need to adopt this one too.

As for Visa gift cards. Who cares if you were compensated or not? I LOVE them and I love giving them. They are awesome. Whereas I used to send money in cards, no longer. I use the cards. Oh sure, it’s still like money, but the recipient likes getting a card. Most I think because when I get a card I don’t just use it for groceries or everyone else. I tend to put it in my wallet and use it just for me.

I put it this way every yr or every time I try to make a resolution like say stop spending so much money on my Starbucks coffee two times a day one in the morning one in the day or tooooo stop drinking regular soda pop. I always fail and feel horrible! So I say if it is meant to be it will happen I don’t need a new yr to start a good habit if it is in the cards from god for me to do! I will do it thats all oh yeah by the way real quick I keep trying to sign the no mas petition for the contest and I keep getting an error I keep doing it I don’t want to get disqualified I submitted it but not sure if my signature went through I did it like ten times so sorry

I said I was going to cut back on drinking diet pop, and I have, but recently I haven’t been doing so great with it. I did tell myself I would drink less instead of cutting it out all together because I knew that wouldn’t happen. 🙂

I still haven’t MADE my new year resolutions. 😛 I do know I want to lose this baby weight and get back in shape this year.
I played the instant-win game and instant-lost, but I’ll keep comin’ back to do it! 😉 Visa gift cards are always welcome!